Alumnus' $1 million gift triggers renovation for baseball

May 2, 2008

KALAMAZOO--Thanks to a $1 million challenge gift from a Chicago
equity investor announced today, Western Michigan University
baseball fans will settle into a comfortably renovated stadium
at historic Hyames Field when they gather to watch the first
pitch of the 2009 season.

Robert J. Bobb, chief executive officer of Cardinal Growth
L.P. and a 1969 WMU alumnus, has committed $1 million to a planned
$2 million renovation of WMU's baseball stadium as a challenge
gift. University officials already have raised $600,000 toward
the challenge and plan a successful conclusion to the campaign,
with fund-raising efforts continuing until the $2 million goal
is met. To date, a number of WMU baseball alumni and supporters
have been recognized for their gifts through naming opportunities
within the stadium. Additional naming opportunities will be available
as the campaign continues.

The structure, which will become the Robert J. Bobb Stadium,
will significantly enhance the Hyames Field facilities in a way
that will allow the historic site--home to the first-ever College
World Series in 1947--to continue its role as athletic home to
generations of WMU athletes.

"This is a project which is long overdue, given the rich
history and proud tradition of baseball at Western Michigan University,"
says Bobb. "I am pleased to be able to participate and extend
my sincere thanks to everyone whose generosity has made this
project a reality. The completion of this renovation will not
only serve to enhance the baseball program, but also complement
the Bill Brown Alumni and Seelye centers and complete Western's
athletic presence along Stadium Drive."

Construction on the baseball stadium project will take place
this summer, with completion scheduled before the start of the
2009 baseball season. The major renovations will place WMU's
baseball facilities once again at the top of the Mid-American
Conference and the Midwest. In addition, the project will put
the stadium in compliance with the Americans with Disabilities
Act.

"Hyames Field and its traditions are central to our baseball
program and part of the University's heritage," says WMU
President John M. Dunn. "The field's current stadium was
built in a different era. Bob Bobb's generous gift and those
made by other donors will allow us to add vital components that
were not part of the original structure and create a safe, fan-friendly
environment. We are enormously grateful and excited about what
this means for our baseball program and for the program's fans
on campus and in the community."

Replacement of outfield fencing, the addition of foul-line
fencing and a new visitor bullpen

Entrance plaza for historical and donor recognition

New stadium signage, decorative entrance and replacement
of exterior fencing

Repair and re-seal of existing grandstand facility

Competition stadium lighting may also be added if additional
funding is raised.

The renovation follows emergency repairs done to the field
and its stadium in 2005, when a violent windstorm ripped the
roof off the grandstand area and exposed many of the ballpark's
pressing needs. In response, WMU committed $150,000 to replace
the deteriorating roof structure and make the area safe for players
and spectators. That episode spurred the current drive among
alumni to restore the facility to its former status as a model
venue for student athletes.

"Bob has been an extraordinary member of our Bronco family,"
says Kathy Beauregard, WMU's athletic director. "He has
been instrumental in an advisory role, establishing a vision
for excellence, and has certainly stepped up to the plate to
make so many University projects a reality. He has demonstrated
over and over again a great commitment and love for our University.
Today, we are celebrating a new component that will enhance the
image of Western Michigan University, our athletic program and
complex, and, specifically, our Hyames Field baseball facilities.

"His generosity in this project is an example of the
dedication of our alumni to see that current and future Bronco
student-athletes have the best opportunities available. This
project not only helps our baseball program but it is also a
positive for this institution as a whole and it challenges all
of us to work every day to make the experience of our students
and student-athletes a positive one."

Construction on Hyames Field's current stadium began in 1934
as a federal Works Project Administration effort to develop a
home stadium for Western Michigan varsity baseball. At its dedication
in 1939, Hyames was referred to as the "Jewel of the Midwest"
and it became the quality benchmark for college ballparks across
the nation.

Since its early years, the stadium has held a storied position
in the world of collegiate baseball. Long before college teams
dreamed of Omaha, Neb., Kalamazoo was the desired destination.
Hyames Field hosted the first two College World Series in 1947
and 1948. In 1949, the series moved to Wichita, Kan., and ultimately
settled into its present-day location in Omaha.

Hyames Field has been home to six Bronco squads that advanced
to the College World Series, including the 1955 NCAA Runner-Up
team, and 11 teams that advanced to the NCAA Tournament. Adding
to its legendary status is the fact that 94 Major League Baseball
draftees and numerous All-Americans spent their college careers
calling the ballpark home.

The restoration of Hyames Field to a thriving ballpark will
be a dream come true for those who care deeply about WMU baseball,
says WMU Coach Randy Ford.

"We have a thriving campus in the Kalamazoo community,
nationally recognized academic programs and an indoor facility
that is second to none," Ford says. "The Hyames Field
renovation project is the final piece of the puzzle for WMU baseball
to reach its ultimate potential."

WMU Alumnus Bobb has remained close to his alma mater over
the years. He is a WMU Foundation Board director, a member of
the WMU President's Circle and a life member of the WMU Alumni
Association. In 2006, he was honored with the WMU Alumni Association's
Distinguished Alumni Award. Bobb also served on the national
steering committee for WMU's most recent capital campaign, which
concluded in 2003, and is a member of the Dean's Senior Leadership
Cabinet for WMU's Haworth College of Business.

After graduating from WMU, Bobb went on to earn his law degree
from the University of Notre Dame in 1972. Since 1978, he has
been a principal equity investor in small- to middle-market companies
engaged in real estate development, financial services, beverage
distribution, trucking, steel processing, construction, and agriculture.
Such investments have included startups, turnarounds, and acquisitions
from both private and public sellers. In all of these endeavors,
Bobb served as CEO or chairman of the board.